Interpol to beef up security

Regional leaders have agreed to provide adequate security both from the region and Interpol to ensure the safety of local cricket fans and visitors.

Police, army and customs from nine countries will provide round the clock security during the days that the World Cup matches are played.

Minister of National Security Martin Joseph said yesterday that officals at the 27th meeting of the Conference of Heads of Governments of Caricom have agreed on a number of unprecedented measures aimed at providing a safe and secure region during Cricket World Cup 2007.

He added that for the period of the games, the nine host countries as well as the Commonwealth of Dominica, would be treated as a single domestic space for the purposes of border controls and the movement of people and goods across the region.

The minister was speaking at the Planning and Functional Mapping Workshop, which started at the Cascadia Hotel yesterday.

The workshop comprises the council of ministers responsible for national security and law enforcement and will run for one week.

According to Joseph, the heads agreed to the creation of a secure Caricom single domestic space specifically for the period January 15, 2007 to May 2007, where visitors could move freely after full inspection at the first port of entry, or persons already resident in the single space.

The single space will comprise those Caricom member states enforcing a common Caricom visa requirement for nationals included on a common visa list.

It was also agreed at the meeting that enhanced border security arrangements at ports of entry include timely access to advanced passenger and cargo information; and real time connectivity among police, immigration and customs across borders utilising standardised customs forms.

The agreement also includes the establishment and operationalising and of a Caricom Intelligence Sharing Network and an Intelligence Fusion Centre to be jointly manned by Caricom member states; the implementation and operationalising of a Regional Security Plan for Cricket World Cup 2007 that will bring together law enforcement and military forces, as well as assistance from Interpol and other international security agencies. The minister revealed that the games will continue to act as a catalyst for the early construction of the regional platform for law enforcement and security that is required for the long term and has resulted in bold new decisions by the Heads of Governments for the introduction of regional, legislative, administrative and operational structures.

“It has resulted in improved levels of cooperation and it has brought the regional security personnel into closer working relationship with their contemporaries in the international community,” said Joseph.